Mortal Faults

52

Tess returned to the squad room, where she was, predictably, the object of stares and the subject of whispered asides. She ignored them. Crandall was watching her with peculiar intensity. She ignored him, too. Hauser’s secretary let her in to see the squad commander, who looked as if he hadn’t slept all night. Then again, neither had she.

“I just wanted to say I’m clearing out,” she told him. “And to say you did a good job on this case. I’m sorry if I made it more difficult.”

Hauser looked up at her from his desk. “I know you’re not being disciplined, Agent McCallum. I want to say… I still think you did the Bureau wrong. And I’ll never respect you again.”

He returned his gaze to the paperwork in front of him. After a moment she let herself out.

In the hall outside the squad room, Crandall caught up with her. “Hey, Tess. Heading home?”

She was surprised by the friendly tone. “Battered but unbowed.”

“Said your goodbyes to Hauser?”

“More like a good riddance, from his point of view. It appears I’m more of a persona non grata than ever.” She smiled. “How about you, Rick? Will you ever respect me again?”

“I’m not as much as a hardass as Hauser. Tess, if I’d known you were going to come clean to Michaelson, I never would’ve-”

“How could you have known? Even I didn’t know what I was going to do until I did it.”

“I still feel bad about it.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“I do. But I’ve taken steps to redeem myself.”

“What steps?” She studied him, an idea forming. “Rick, are you the media’s anonymous source?”

“Me? What kind of media contacts do I have in L.A.?”

“The leak didn’t originate in L.A. It came out of D.C.-where Ralston Crandall is currently posted as deputy director.”

“Let’s not bring my father into this.”

“The question is, did you bring him into it?”

“I’m not going to lie to you, Tess.” He left that statement hanging enigmatically in the air, then clapped her on the shoulder and added, “Have a safe trip. And stay in touch, okay?”

Crandall went back inside the squad room, and Tess was left thinking that, despite it all, she still had one ally in this town.